Apparatus for cleaning ships.



J No. 851,111 PATENTED APR. zs l isov.

C.E.ARNOLD.

APPARATUS FOR CLEANING SHIPS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.17, 1905.

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CHARLES E. -ARNOLD, OF BRUNSWICK, GEORGIA.

APPAlRATUS FOi? CLEANING SHIPS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 23, 1907 Application filed November 17, 1905. Serial No.287,811.

To all whom, it 111/1151 concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES E. ARNOLD, a citizen of the United States,residing at Bruns wick, 1n the county of Glynn and State of Georgia,have invented certain new and usei in Apparatus for Cleaning Ships, ofwhich the following is a specification. The present invention relates tohull cleaning devices for ships of that type which are designed toperform the cleaning opera tion without the necessity of dry-docking thevessel, but which are adapted to clean the hull in a thorough and easymanner While riding at anchor.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a hullcleaning devicewhich may be moved over the hull surface to be cleaned. with littleexertion on the draft-tackle for shifting it, and withoutdanger ofcatching and being stopped by any structural protuberances, such asplate rivets, seams, and the like, or foreign excrescencesadhering tothe hull surface; this result being attained by providing the frame ofthe cleaning device with supporting runners having rounded edges, sothat these runners will slide freely this result is attained over thesurface of the hull without engaging any structural protuberances orexcrescences thereon, thus relieving the shifting tackle by means ofwhich the device is moved to and .fro from undue strain.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for maintainingthe cleaning de vice always in close relation to the hull sur-.

face, so that the active cleaning element (a rotary brush in the presentcase) will be held in operative position relative to the hull, and byproviding magnetic holdfasts which, in the form herein shown, are thesupporting shoes above referred to said shoes forming the pole pieces ofelectromagnets which may be energized from any suitable source withwhich they are properly connected, and which magnetic supporting runnerswill stick to the iron or steel hull of the vessel to be cleaned andhold the cleanin tool or brush in close proximity always with the sideof the vessel.

In. order that the invention may be clear to those skilled in the art, Ihave illustrated in the accompanying drawing one embodiment of myinvention, and in said drawings- Figure 1 is a transverse sectionalview-of the cleaning tool or device to'show the position of theeleetro-magnets, the mounting for the brush, and the cross-sectionalconstrucwithdrawn from the hon of the supporting frame. Fig. 2 is a planview looking from the left in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view toshow the osition of the cleaning device relative to the vlull of theship; Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the brush cylinder,- Fig. 5 is atransverse section of the cylinder shown in Fig.4 and Fig. 6 is a detailperspective view of a part of one of the cleaning brushes with which thecylinder is provided.

Referring 'to the drawings by numerals,

- like numbers indicating like parts in the several views, 2 designatesthe main frame of the cleaning device, which, as shown, is rectangular,and is made of channel iron, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. At each end ofthe said frame 2 are supporting standards 3, secured in a proper mannerto the end rails of the rectangular frame 2, and in said standards aremounted sliding bearing-blocks 4, said blocks 4; bcing supported oneither side by yielding springs 5, which will permit the bearing blocks4 and the cleaning tool, presently to be described, and which issupported by said blocks 4, to yield and move standards 3, an adjustingfollower and setscrew'fi bein'g'fixed in the upper end of each of saidstandards 3, so that the bearing blocks 4 maybe adjusted in thestandards 3. The said standards braced by means of triangular struts 7'(see Fig. 1) which pass over the top of the stand- 3 are preferablyside-.

in their slotted ards and are secured at their ends to the rectangularframe 2.. g

Mounted in the sliding bearing blocks 4 is the cleaning tool proper,which in this instance, is shown as a rotary brush made up of a cylinder8 having spirally arranged undercut slots 9, adapted to receive brushstrips 10 carrying steel bristles 1 this construction being a valuableone for the reason that the brush strips 10 inay be readily inserted orT-headed slots 9 in the cylinder 8. The said brush projects through t 1eopen frame 2 so that as the frame is drawn up along the side of thevessel the brush, if rapidly revolved, 'will engage the fouled surfaceof the hull and the steel bristles will sweep the same clean of alladhering particles or growths. The said. cleaning brush may be revolvedin any suitableimanner; for exam le, as hereh shown, through the mediumof a flexible shaft 12 secured to one end of the brush shaft as shown inFig. 2,

and connected at its other end with any suitable moto 13;

. the utensil always in proper working pos1- .tion.

' vantage by reason of its sup of being readily manipulate "withoutdanger of vexatious catching or ,ccnces on the hull surface.

the supporting jnetic 6o times maintained, and

V cleaning mechanism which is extremely elmsaid cleaning device isprovidedwith chaiti bridles 14 or other suitable hauling means securedto the frame 2, to which the draft ro es, by means of which the deviceis "hauled om watersed e to watersedge over the surface of thc h areattached, and it will be understood that any suitable winch orrope-hauling device may be used to pull the illevlice back and forthover the surface of the Obviously', thdl rectangular frame whichsupports the brushgwould be apt to engage and be caught by anyprotuberance or growthson the hull of the vessel as it is drawn over thehullsurface, and this would result in increasing the draft onthe haulingmechanism, and would also tend to make the brush work in an uneven andunsatisfactory fashion. To overcome these difficulties and rovide thecleaning device with frictiomreducin supports, which will ride overan'uneven hu l-surface with a smooth, even action and without imposingundue strain on the haul rope, I provide the frame 2 with supportingrunners 15, which runners are preferably laced at each corner of therectangular. anie, as shown in Fig. 2, the edges of the runners 15 beingrounded so that the said runners will ride readily over structural orother protuberances on the vessel; and all danger of stoppage orcatching of the device or uneven working of the brush is eliminated. Inorder that the cleaning brush may be held to its work, it is necessarythat a close relation between the frame an hull be at'all this result Isecure by making the runners 15 magnetic, as clearly shown in Fig. 1, inwhich figure it will be seen that the runners 15 are the poleieces ofelectro-magnets 16, so that the sai runners 15 in reality form magneticsugporting 'feet or runnersfor the device, whic when ener ized by thecurrent passing through the win ings 17 of the magnets from suitableleading-in wires 18, (see Fig. 2), will adhere to the side of the honorsteel hull, and hold It will be seen that I have provided a liull andwhich has the adorting runners, I during its work ple in itsconstruction,

stopping. because of the frame engaging protuberances or foreign excres-Furtliermore', runners, because of the ma ualities given them, have theadd nction of keeping the device at all tional times in close. relationto the hull.

ticular construction,

.. While I have shown and described a parand that the best new Iknown'to me, it jwill be understood that this .1 is for. illustrativepurposes only,

and since it 7 is obvious that the construction may be varied within theskill of the mechanician, and not depart from the spirit of myinvention, I deem all such mechanical changesand expedients to be withinthe purview of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure byLetters Patent, is 1*- r 1. In a hull-cleaning device for shipsand in combination, a rectangular frame, magnetic supporting runners atthe corners of said frame, spring-heldbearing blocks mounted'in suitablestandards on said frame, means for adjusting said bearing blocks, arotary cleaning tool mounted in said .ibearingblocks, and means fordriving said tool.

. 2. In a hull cleaning device for ships and in combination,arectangular frame, mag netic supporting runners at the corners of saidframe, standards extending from each end of the frame, struts forbracing the standards, spring held bearing blocks therein, adjustab emeans for the b ocks, a rotary cleanmg tool having its shaft journaledin said blocks, leading in wires for said ma etic runners, and means fordriving said too 3. In a hull cleaning device for ships and incombination a rectangular frame, mag netic supporting runners at thecorners of said frame, standards extending from each end of the frame,strutsfor bracing the standards, s g held bearing blocks therein,adjustab e means for the blocks, a rotary cleaning tool having its shaftjournaled in said blocks, leading in wires 1' or said magnetic runners,and a flexible shafting connected to the shaft of the tool fordrivingit. v

4. In a hull cleaning device for shi s, a tool carrying frame, a rotarycleaning tooimounted within the frame, tool, an electro magnet securedto each corner of the frame and enlar ed and rounde said 'enlar ed androun e d projecting ends of the po e pieces constituting suppm'tingrunners or vice, and leading-in-wires for said-magnets.

'5. In a'hull cleaning device for ships, a

rectangular tool carrying frame, a rotary means for drivingsaid havingone end of the pole piece thereof pro'eeting therefrom and thedecleaning tool mounted therein, means for driving saidtool, anelectro-magnetic element secured .to each corner of the frame and havingthe pole pieces provided with enlarged rounded ends constituting runnersfor the device, and leading-in-wires for said magnetic elements.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

CHARLES ARNOLD.

Witnesses: I

J. M. Amus'rnoivc B. Wnrmntn.

